For the 26th week, June 28- July 4

Week # 26: 15 lbs variety of Pasta (yes, more!)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Pasta:

Pasta is one of the more popular foods you will find on the dinner table. It comes in many forms and can be made at home, purchased fresh, or purchased dried for long term use. We’ll obviously be going over the “long term storage” pasta.

Storage:

You can store dry, uncooked pasta, for up to a year in a cool dry place in it’s original packaging without storing it in a different container. To ensure that pasta will not be left in your pantry for too long, it is wise to use the “first in, first out” rule, using the oldest packages before the newer ones. Pasta is pretty stable. But if you can keep moisture and vermin out, it’ll last indefinitely. So if you can store your pasta in air tight containers it will last even longer than the standard expiration date.

If you keep things like pasta or boxed pasta mixes in the original package for longer than the expiration date it can go bad. But when you take them out and put them in buckets, foil pouches or your own vacuum sealed bags they can last for decades.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 25th week, June (21-27)

Week # 25: 16 lbs powdered Fruit Drink
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)

Storing powdered fruit drink can be a bit controversial here in our household, so you’ll have to decide for yourself what’s best for your family.

Personally, I don’t drink juice, flavored water or power drinks, I just drink water, and a lot of it. However, my husband drinks a ton of water but also loves juice and all kinds of drinks and therefore we will need to store powdered drink mix just for him.

Why Store Drink Mix?
As you all know there are several kinds of drink mixes and they just keep getting more creative as the years go by. You can get almost any drink in powder form these days. So, why would an ordinary water drinker need drink mixes? As my husband would say, “it’s simple,” water just doesn’t provide the nutrients and added carbs and calories needed when you’re under a lot of stress and physical activity. That’s why athletes can’t just drink water, they need all the other stuff to help keep them going. Juice or power drink mixes might also have things like, Sugar, Fructose, citric acid, sodium citrate (corn starch), corn syrup, artificial flavoring, etc… I would even go as far as recommending those breakfast drinks which you only need to add water to. These will definitely provide even more nutrients and could even supplement your need to eat breakfast, but it just depends on the actual product, so check with the product packaging for all of the nutritional information.

Then there is the “mix things up” reason too. Every now and then it’s fun to “mix things up” and so I’ll drink juice or other drinks just to have a new flavor of liquid, so the drink mixes could turn a stressful time into a bit more fun time. If you have kids, you know that they too will want a change.

But let’s be honest I’d drink plain water if I had to and possibly trade the drink mix for something else later on.

Storage Life:

As for storage life, use drink mixes by the expiration date on the container/packaging. Of course, store it in a cool dry place.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 25th week, June (21-27)

Week # 25: 50 lbs of Wheat (white or red)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)

Baby Steps:

1. Choose location for storage
2. Purchase containers (#10 Cans, Buckets, Jars, Bottles…) for wheat or purchase pre-packaged wheat.
3. Purchase your wheat for containers.
4. Fill and date your wheat containers. (Leave some extra wheat out in order to test it some recipes.)

10 Reasons to love Whole Wheat:

1. It’s more nutritious, providing several more minerals, vitamins (18 more to be exact!), and natural photochemicals than white flour.
2. Relax! It has More B Vitamins which are known to help with nerves & stress.
3. Get cleaned out. Whole wheat provides more fiber, preventing constipation & diverticulosis. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams daily, the average American consumes only 12 grams.
4. Lose weight and keep it off! Whole wheat has a lot of fiber which has almost no calories, keeps you fuller for longer, absorbs 3x it’s weight in water, cuts absorption of calories, cleans out impurities, requires more chewing, and takes 1/2 as much to fill you up and takes longer to digest.
5. Reduces your risk of colon cancer & other diseases.
6. Lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and risk of adult on set Diabetes.
7. Cheaper! It will lower your food costs by at 30% to 50%!
8. Lowers doctor visits, bills, & medications.
9. Lowers Dentist Bills by cutting down on tooth decay.
10. Eating Whole Wheat keeps your body both emotionally and physically used to wheat.

Differences between White & Red Wheat:
“The main difference between hard red wheat and hard white wheat is color genes. Both have similar fiber and protein levels. But whole-grain bread from hard white wheat is less bitter–some say sweeter–than whole-grain bread from hard red wheat. That’s because white wheat’s outer kernel contains fewer tannins and phenolic compounds.” (Scientists redesign white wheat Agricultural Research, June, 1994 by Linda Cooke)

They also taste different. Red wheat has a more “nutty” flavor while white wheat’s mild flavor makes it easier hidden in bakery items.

Hard Red Wheat

Hard White Wheat

Recipes with wheat:

If You ONLY Have: Water, Wheat, Salt, Shortening or Oil You Can Make:

• Sprouted wheat
• Cooked cracked wheat
• Cooked whole wheat
• Wheat grass
• Gluten (a strange bread-type food that has a very high protein content)
• Tortillas

Just Add: Powdered Milk, Powdered Eggs, Honey or Sugar, Flour And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Wheat pudding
• German pancakes
• Crepes
• Pasta

Just Add: Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Puddings/custards
• Pancakes
• Some varieties of cookies
• Waffles
• Muffins/English muffins
• Breads
• Biscuits
• Some varieties of crackers

Just Add: Tomatoes, Powdered Butter and Cheese, Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, Canned Fruits And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Meatless dinners
• Meatless casseroles
• Cream sauces
• Jello salads
• Whipped cream desserts
• Baby formula

Just Add: Rice, Legumes, Beef/Chicken Broth, Canned Meats, Dried Potatoes, Dehydrated VegetablesAnd You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Lots of great chunky soups
• Chili
• Refried beans
• Rice dinners
• Rice puddings
• Sandwiches
• Many different dinners and casseroles

Just Add: Extras such as Oats, Raisins, Nuts, Spices, Juice, Peanut Butter, Cream of Tarter, etc.And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• A wide variety of almost any type of food you would want to cook

As you can see, with a bit of planning (and a fabulous food storage recipe book on hand - Marlene’s Magic with Food Storage), you can be confident that you will be able to create healthy, filling, comforting meals for your family should a true emergency occur. It will also be helpful to start using and rotating through these foods in your every day cooking so that you can find the recipes your family likes, get them used to eating these foods, and ensure that all of your storage retains its maximum freshness.

Wheat Berries Recipe: (as found on SafelyGatheredIn.blogspot.com)
1 cup wheat kernels
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

Rinse wheat kernels. Combine ingredients and boil for 1 - 1.5 hours. Be sure to keep checking on them to make sure your water doesn’t boil out. Some people soak them overnight first but that is not necessary.

Things you can do with wheat berries:
* eat them freshly hot and cooked (great breakfast food). Many people add honey to sweeten it up, or you can add a little brown sugar and milk. Be as creative as you want! I know people also like to add dried fruit (like raisins or craisins). I’ve even heard of people adding a little bit of peanut butter for added protein and flavor.
* if you’ve tried wheat berries and you (or your kids) don’t love them, try mixing them in with oatmeal to disguise the flavor. That way, you can still get the nutrition benefits.

* you can add wheat berries to soups and stew for extra nutrition and heartiness

* wheat berries are great in bread! Just add them to your dough for added nutrition

* add them cold to salads

* try using wheat berries in a recipe that calls for rice.

Shelf life of wheat?
30+ years if low-moisture foods are properly packaged and stored at room temperature or cooler (75°F/24°C or lower) remain nutritious and edible.

How can I store Wheat?
Recommended containers for longer-term storage include the following

• # 10 cans (available at Church home storage centers)
• Foil pouches (available through Church Distribution Services)
• PETE bottles (for dry products such as wheat, corn, and beans)

These containers, used with oxygen absorber packets, eliminate food-borne insects and help preserve nutritional quality and taste. Oxygen absorber packets are available at Church home storage centers or through Church Distribution Services.

Under certain conditions, you can also use plastic buckets for longer-term storage of wheat, dry beans, and other dry products.

Types of Wheat Grinders:

Manual Wheat Grinders

Pros

Cons

KitchenAid Attachments

Pros

Cons

Electric Wheat Grinders

Pros

Cons

Prices of Wheat Grinders

Manual Wheat Grinders

KitchenAid Attachments

Wheat Grinder Comparison Charts:
Click the chart below to view a full size chart comparison which we created. Also click here to see sample wheat grinders or here to view a detailed comparison chart.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

Save on food storage organization by entering to win the Harvest 72″ Rotation System from Shelf Reliance a $459.99 value.

I can just picture this beautiful organized food storage area with all my cans neatly organized. Here’s a description of their awesome rotation system: “Food storage management has never been easier thanks to the Harvest 72″. Featuring patented front-loading technology that automatically rotates cans on a first in first out basis, the Harvest 72″ is the largest, most popular food rotation system offered by Shelf Reliance. This FRS is easy to adjust for different can sizes and boasts the capacity to hold up to 600 cans. With its easy-fit design and unique features, the Harvest 72″ makes food storage management a breeze.

Dimensions
Height: 72″
Width: 36.5″
Depth: 24.5″
Capacity: Up to 600 cans
Standard Row Configuration: 3 small rows, 1 medium row, 1 large row”

These things look heavy, luckily they will ship it for free too!

BTW we posted this because we entered the drawing to win the rotation system, after all we want one too. But it’s fair game, so just enter to win it for yourself.

For the 24th week of June 14 - June 20

Week # 24: 6 Quarts of Oil & 4 quarts Olive Oil (Store the kind of oil you use!!!)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Oil:

There are so many oils on the market to choose from. Simply store the kind of oils which you use and rotate them because Oil doesn’t last very long (max 1-2 years check the expiration date). The following information is here to guide you and if you already know what kind of oil you need then don’t even worry about reading the rest, however if you’re not sure what kind you want/need or would like to switch then read on.

Types of Oil:

Natural fats contain varying ratios of three types of fats: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

Saturated fats are hard at room temperature. They’re stable, resist oxidation, and are found primarily in meat and dairy but also in palm and coconut oil.

Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and the least stable. They oxidize easily and are found in seafood and corn, safflower, soybean and sunflower oils.

Monounsaturated fats are more stable generally than polyunsaturates. They’re found in canola, nut and olive oils.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting saturated fats in the diet due to their association with cardiovascular disease. The AHA also recommends relying more on monounsaturates than polyunsaturated fats.

PRESSED VS. CHEMICALLY EXTRACTED

The oils at PCC may be less familiar than brands in mass-market grocery stores — for good reason. PCC buyers seek out natural oils that are mechanically pressed from the seed without using chemical solvents.

Olive, avocado and walnut oils, for example, are from soft fruit or nuts that need only expeller pressing and centrifuging; they may be labeled “cold-pressed.”

Hard oilseeds such as soy or canola usually require some pre-treatment such as steam before pressing but still do not rely on chemical solvents.

In contrast, mass-market oils generally are extracted with toxic solvents such as hexane. These oils then undergo harsh treatment to remove the solvent. More chemicals, very high heat, and straining are used to deodorize and bleach the oils — rendering them inferior in taste, fragrance, appearance and especially nutritional quality.

UNREFINED OILS

Unrefined oils are filtered only lightly to remove large particles. Some, such as sesame or olive oil, may appear cloudy or have visible sediment after sitting. This does not compromise quality.

Unrefined oils are “whole” oils and their flavor, color and fragrance are more pronounced than in refined oils. Like unrefined whole grain flours, unrefined oils are more nutritious and have a shorter storage life than refined.

Unrefined oils are best used unheated in dressings or in low heat, sautéing or baking. Their natural resins and other beneficial particles burn easily and develop unpleasant flavors and unhealthful properties if overheated. If you choose to bake with unrefined oils, expect the flavor to be more pronounced.

REFINED OILS

Naturally refined oils are more thoroughly filtered and strained than unrefined, usually with some additional heat, but without harsh or damaging chemicals. Refining reduces the nutrient level and flavor. It also removes particles and resins and makes naturally refined oils more stable for longer storage, more resistant to smoking, and a good choice for high-heat cooking and frying.

Refined oils recommended for high heat cooking and deep-frying are “high oleic” forms of safflower and sunflower oil. These are from plants bred to be high in onounsaturated fats instead of polyunsaturates, which oxidize easily and aren’t suited for high heat. To check if it’s “high oleic,” read the nutrition panel on the bottle. It lists polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats separately.

The info above was found on: PCC Natural Markets (They also have a great chart to help you choose.)

Click here to read about Olive Oil.
Click here to read and learn more about Vegetable Oils
Click here to read about Vegetable Oil and Weight Gain.
Click here to read about Olive Oil vs. Canola Oil
Click here to read Cooking Oil Data

Storing Oil:

All oils, especially unrefined oils, should be refrigerated after opening to prevent oxidation and rancidity. Natural oils should smell and taste fresh and pleasant. Can’t tell? If in doubt, throw it out. Studies indicate that rancid fats may promote cancer and heart disease.

Oil that’s firmed up in the refrigerator will liquefy at room temperature in a few minutes. Place the bottle in a container of warm — not hot — water for five minutes. The quality will not be harmed.

So you have to make sure you rotate your oils, and not store them longer than a year, the expiration date. In a nut shell, don’t sit on your oil supply for years without rotating it. Just a little bit rancid is just a little bit poisonous.

Because of this difficulty in storing fats and oils for any long period of time many books and articles on the subject of food storage make only passing mention of them, if they say anything at all. This is unfortunate because fat contains nine calories per gram compared to the four calories contained by either carbohydrates or protein. This makes fat a valuable source of concentrated calories that could be of real importance if faced with a diet consisting largely of unrefined grains and legumes. For small children, infants and the elderly, they may not be able to consume the volume of food that would be necessary in the course of a day to get all of the calories they would need to avoid weight loss and possible malnutrition. Additionally, fats play an important role in our perception of taste and texture and their absence would make many foods more difficult to prepare and consume. Furthermore, a small amount of dietary fat is necessary for our bodies to properly absorb fat soluble vitamins like A,D,E and K.

Long term storage of fats may be problematical, but it is not impossible. There are some general rules you can follow to get the most life out of your stored cooking oils and fats.

1. Exposure to oxygen, light and heat are the greatest factors to rancidity. If you can, refrigerate your stored oil, particularly after it’s been opened. If possible, buy your oils in opaque, airtight containers. If you purchase it in plastic, particularly clear plastic, then transfer it to a gas impermeable glass or metal container that can be sealed airtight. If you have a means of doing so, vacuum sealing the storage container is an excellent idea as it removes most of the air remaining inside, taking much of the oxygen with it. Transparent glass and plastic containers should be stored in the dark, such as in a box. Regardless of the storage container, it should be stored at as cool a temperature as possible and rotated as fast as is practical. Oils and fats with preservatives added by the manufacturer will have a greater shelf life than those without them, provided they are fresh when purchased.
2. Unless they have been specially treated, *unopened* cooking oils have a shelf life of about a year, depending upon the above conditions. Some specialty oils such as sesame and flax seed have even shorter usable lives. If you don’t use a great deal of it, try not to buy your fats in large containers. This way you won’t be exposing a large quantity to the air after the you’ve opened it, to grow old and possibly rancid, before you can use it all up. Once opened, it is an excellent idea to refrigerate cooking fats. If it turns cloudy or solid, the fat is still perfectly usable and will return to its normal liquid, clear state after it has warmed to room temperature. Left at room temperatures, opened bottles of cooking oils can begin to rancid in anywhere from a week to a couple of months, though it may take several more months to reach such a point of rancidity that it can be smelled.
3. Although darker colored oils have more flavor than paler colored, the agents that contribute to that flavor and color also contribute to faster rancidity. For maximum shelf life buy paler colored oils.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 23rd week from June 7 - June 13

Week # 23: 10 lbs or 20 Cups of Jams or Fruit Preserves
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, which you probably will not because this is an ongoing process, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Fruit Preserves
Fruit preserves refers to fruits or vegetables that have been prepared and canned for long term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves traditionally involves the use of pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used as well. There are various types of fruit preserves made globally, and they can be made from sweet or savory ingredients.

Preserves
The term Preserves is usually interchangeable with Jam. Some cookbooks define Preserves as cooked and gelled whole fruit (or vegetable), which includes a significant portion of the fruit.

Jam
Jam contains both fruit juice and pieces of the fruit’s (or vegetable’s) flesh,[12] however some cookbooks define Jam as cooked and gelled fruit (or vegetable) purees.[13]

Properly, the term jam refers to a product made with whole fruit, cut into pieces or crushed. The fruit is heated with water and sugar to activate the pectin in the fruit. The mixture is then put into containers. The following extract from a US cookbook describes the process.

“Jams are usually made from pulp and juice of one fruit, rather than a combination of several fruits. Berries and other small fruits are most frequently used, though larger fruits such as apricots, peaches, or plums cut into small pieces or crushed are also used for jams. Good jam has a soft even consistency without distinct pieces of fruit, a bright color, a good fruit flavor and a semi-jellied texture that is easy to spread but has no free liquid.” - Berolzheimer R (ed) et al. (1959)

Uncooked or minimally cooked (less than 5 minutes) jams, are called freezer jam, because they are stored frozen.

Jelly
The term jelly refers to a type of clear fruit spread consisting of firmed fruit (or vegetable) juice made with pectin. Jelly can be made from sweet, savory or hot ingredients. Jelly is made by a similar process to jam, with the additional step of filtering out the fruit pulp after the initial heating. A cloth “jelly bag” is traditionally used as a filter.

“Good jelly is clear and sparkling and has a fresh flavor of the fruit from which it is made. It is tender enough to quiver when moved, but holds angles when cut.
EXTRACTING JUICE - Pectin is best extracted from the fruit by heat, therefore cook the fruit until soft before straining to obtain the juice … Pour cooked fruit into a jelly bag which has been wrung out of cold water. Hang up and let drain. When dripping has ceased the bag may be squeezed to remove remaining juice, but this may cause cloudy jelly.” - Berolzheimer R (ed) et al. (1959)

Marmalade
American-style marmalade is sweet, not bitter. In English-speaking usage “marmalade” almost always refers to a preserve derived from a citrus fruit, most commonly oranges. The recipe includes sliced or chopped fruit peel, which is simmered in fruit juice and water until soft; indeed marmalade is sometimes described as jam with fruit peel (although many companies now also manufacture peel-free marmalade). Such marmalade is most often consumed on toasted bread for breakfast.

Jam & Recipes for Home Storage
Because we feel that Ball, the most popular preserving company, has a lot of great info on their site we’ll direct you to their site to review recipes and how to preserve your fresh or frozen fruits.

Here are a few free Printable PDF Recipe sheets from PickYourOwn.org.

• Apple Butter PDF
• Grape Jelly PDF
• Apple Jelly PDF
• Strawberry Jam no Pectin PDF

THE Book!
You’ll for sure need the “Blue Book of Preserving” from Ball if your thinking about canning/jarring your fresh food. It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jelly, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc. If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how!Personally we wouldn’t pay more than $9 for this book, but not because it’s not worth more, but because that’s just a good deal. You can even find it for $5.48.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 22nd week from May 31 - June 6

Week # 22: 2 (5 lb) tubs of Honey & 6 lbs Corn Syrup
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Honey

This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. In addition to its reputation as Nature’s nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey’s unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.

Selection:

Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, or filtered - provided it is of the highest organic quality - is your best choice. Look for honey that states “100% pure.” While regular honey is translucent, creamy honey is usually opaque and is made by adding finely crystallized honey back into liquid honey. Specialty honeys, made from the nectar of different flowers, such as thyme and lavender, are also available. Remember that the darker the color, the deeper the flavor.

Warning:

Remember that the quality of “raw” honey is a function of the plants and environment from which pollen, saps, nectars and resins were gathered. Other substances found in the environment - including traces of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics - have been shown to appear in honey. The amount varies greatly.

By The Way: Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey (The Bear which we buy at Walmart) is packing only 100% pure raw unfiltered honey.

Benefits:

• Kosher approved
• Helps control allergies
• Good for replacing sugar
• A good sweetener that can be used in coffee, tea, and smoothies
• Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates and water, and also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals
• Carbohydrate ingestion prior to, during, and after exercise enhances athletic performance and speeds recovery

Storage:

It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn’t absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor.

Cooking with Honey:

If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. To prevent honey from sticking to measuring cups and spoons, use honey that is in its liquid form.

Conversions:

Honey makes a good replacement for sugar in most recipes. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less, one-half to three-quarters of a cup for each cup of sugar. For each cup of sugar replaced, you should also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter of a cup. In addition, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF since honey causes foods to brown more easily.

1 teaspoon regular sugar = 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon honey or molasses
1 cup Corn Syrup = 1 cup Honey
1 cup honey (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/4 cup. In baked goods, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey substituted and lower baking temperature 25 degrees. In cookie recipes using eggs and no additional liquid, increase the flour by about 2 tablespoons per cup of honey. Chill before shaping and baking. Half of the sugar in cakes, can be replaced with honey. Two-thirds of the sugar can be replaced in fruit bars, but replace no more than a third of the sugar in ginger snaps with honey. When making cakes or cookies, first mix honey with the fat or the liquid, then mix with other ingredients. If this is not done, a soggy layer may form on top of the baked product.)

Quick Cooking Ideas:

• Use honey in place of table sugar as a sweetener in your tea.
• Drizzle apple slices with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• To enjoy sweetened yogurt without excess sugar, mix a little honey into plain yogurt.
• A delicious sandwich that is enjoyed by kids of all ages is a combination of peanut (or almond) butter, with bananas and honey.
• In a saucepan over low heat, combine soymilk, honey and unsweetened dark chocolate to make a deliciously nutritious chocolate “milk” drink.

Here’s a detailed pdf document full of info about crystallization. http://www.honey.com/downloads/crystallization.pdf

Corn Syrup (e.g. Karo Syrup)

Corn syrup is a liquid sweetener. Corn syrup is a mildly sweet, concentrated solution of dextrose and other sugars derived from corn starch. It is naturally sweet. Corn syrup contains between 15% to 20% dextrose (glucose) and a mixture of various other types of sugar. Available in both a light and a dark form, the darker variety has a flavor similar to molasses and contains refiners syrup (a byproduct of sugar refining). Both types often contain flavorings and preservatives. They are commonly used in baking and candy making because they do not crystallize when heated. Corn syrup is very common in the U.S., but less so in the rest of the world.

Storage
Before or after opening, corn syrup may be stored at room temperature. Storage conditions affect product quality. Light corn syrup may turn slightly yellow with age, but this is normal and not harmful. It should be stored in its original bottle, tightly capped, in a cool, dry place. New unopened bottles keep about six months from the date on the label. After opening, keep the corn syrup four to six months. These syrups are very prone to mold and to fermentation so be on the lookout for bubbling or a mold haze. If these present themselves, throw the syrup out. You should always be certain to wipe off any drips from the bottle after every use.
However…Karo syrup is safe to eat for an indefinite period of time whether it has been opened or not opened. Bottles may be refrigerated after opening, however, the syrup will be thicker and slower to pour.

Cooking & Preparation
Corn syrup serves different functions in different types of recipes and in products you purchase. It controls sugar crystallization in candy, prevents the formation of ice crystals in frozen desserts, enhances fresh fruit flavor in jams and preserves, sweetens and thickens relishes. Corn syrup balances sweet and sour flavor profiles, and is therefore a key ingredient in many Asian dishes.

When brushed onto baked ham, barbecued meats, baked vegetables or fresh fruit, it is an ideal glaze. In baked goods, corn syrup holds moisture and maintains freshness longer. Karo light and dark corn syrups can also be poured over waffles, hot cereal and pancakes. It may be used in any recipes that calls for light or dark corn syrups. Pancake syrup will give the finished recipe a delicate maple flavor. Some recipes include Pecan Pie, Baked Beans, and Frosting.

Dark vs. Light (Can they be interchanged? Yes)
Both types have the same number of calories. Karo light and dark corn syrups perform similarly in recipes and can usually be used interchangeably. Recipes usually specify which type to use but the choice may be guided by personal preference. Typically, light corn syrup is used when a delicately sweet flavor is desired, such as in fruit sauces and jams. Karo light corn syrup is made with real vanilla.

Dark corn syrup is made with refiners’ syrup, a type of molasses. With its more robust flavor and color, it is ideal for many baked goods.
Both Karo light and dark corn syrups, along with Karo pancake syrup, are ideal toppings for pancakes, waffles, French toast, and biscuits.

Not a Substitute for Sugar or Brown Sugar
Because corn syrup is a liquid, it cannot be substituted for granulated sugar without adjusting other ingredients, particularly in baked goods. For best results, follow recipes developed especially for corn syrup. In sugar-sweetened beverages, however, it’s easy to experiment with corn syrup as a ready-blending substitute.

Great Substitute for Honey or Molasses
An equal amount of Karo corn syrup can be substituted for honey or molasses in most recipes, and when used as a topping. Recipes using corn syrup will be less sweet, and the finished products will have different flavor characteristics.

Recipes

(Most of the information posted here about Corn Syrup has been found on KaroSyrup.com’s site. Please visit their site for a lot more information.
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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 21st week, May (24-30)

Week # 21: 25 lbs White Beans
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)

White Beans:

Similar to other beans, the common bean is high in starch, protein and dietary fiber and is an excellent source of iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid. The small, white navy bean, also called pea bean or haricot, is particularly popular in Britain and the US, featured in such dishes as baked beans and even pies, as well as in various soups

Kinds of White Beans: (Navy bean varieties include)

* Great northern beans
* Rainy River
* Robust
* Michelite
* Sanilac

Other white beans are Cannellini (a quite popular variety in Central and Southern Italy) and Great Northern.

Storage:

Dry beans will keep indefinitely if stored in a cool, dry place, but as time passes, their nutritive value and flavor degrade and cooking times lengthen.

• Store in cool, dry area.
• After opening, store the dried beans in an airtight container or place original package in a resealable plastic bag.
• Storage time shown is for best quality only — after that, the beans’ texture, color or flavor may change, but in most cases, they will still be safe to consume if they have been stored properly.
• If beans develop an off odor, flavor or appearance, they should be discarded.
• “Best By,” “Best if Used By,” and “Use By” dates on commercially packaged foods sold in the United States represent the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the product will remain at peak quality — in most cases, the beans will still be safe to consume after that date, as long they have been stored properly and the package is not damaged.

Cooking:

Dried beans are almost always cooked by boiling, often after having been soaked for several hours. While the soaking is not strictly necessary, it shortens cooking time and results in more evenly textured beans. In addition, discarding one or more batches of soaking water leaches out hard-to-digest complex sugars that can cause flatulence, though those who eat beans regularly rarely have difficulties with flatulence as intestinal microbes adjust. There are several methods including overnight soaking, and the power soak method, which is to boil beans for three minutes, then set them aside for 2-4 hours, then drain and discard the water and proceed with cooking. Common beans take longer to cook than most pulses: cooking times vary from one to four hours but are substantially reduced with pressure cooking.

Recipes:

FREE! All about Bean Booklet PDF

by: Kim Henke from http://www.allaboutfoodstorage.com

Click on the image above to download the PDF.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 20th week, May (17-23)

Week # 20: 50 lbs of Wheat (white or red)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in baby steps.)

Baby Steps:

1. Choose location for storage
2. Purchase containers (#10 Cans, Buckets, Jars, Bottles…) for wheat or purchase pre-packaged wheat.
3. Purchase your wheat for containers.
4. Fill and date your wheat containers. (Leave some extra wheat out in order to test it some recipes.)

10 Reasons to love Whole Wheat:

1. It’s more nutritious, providing several more minerals, vitamins (18 more to be exact!), and natural photochemicals than white flour.
2. Relax! It has More B Vitamins which are known to help with nerves & stress.
3. Get cleaned out. Whole wheat provides more fiber, preventing constipation & diverticulosis. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams daily, the average American consumes only 12 grams.
4. Lose weight and keep it off! Whole wheat has a lot of fiber which has almost no calories, keeps you fuller for longer, absorbs 3x it’s weight in water, cuts absorption of calories, cleans out impurities, requires more chewing, and takes 1/2 as much to fill you up and takes longer to digest.
5. Reduces your risk of colon cancer & other diseases.
6. Lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and risk of adult on set Diabetes.
7. Cheaper! It will lower your food costs by at 30% to 50%!
8. Lowers doctor visits, bills, & medications.
9. Lowers Dentist Bills by cutting down on tooth decay.
10. Eating Whole Wheat keeps your body both emotionally and physically used to wheat.

Differences between White & Red Wheat:
“The main difference between hard red wheat and hard white wheat is color genes. Both have similar fiber and protein levels. But whole-grain bread from hard white wheat is less bitter–some say sweeter–than whole-grain bread from hard red wheat. That’s because white wheat’s outer kernel contains fewer tannins and phenolic compounds.” (Scientists redesign white wheat Agricultural Research, June, 1994 by Linda Cooke)

They also taste different. Red wheat has a more “nutty” flavor while white wheat’s mild flavor makes it easier hidden in bakery items.

Hard Red Wheat

Hard White Wheat

Recipes with wheat:

If You ONLY Have: Water, Wheat, Salt, Shortening or Oil You Can Make:

• Sprouted wheat
• Cooked cracked wheat
• Cooked whole wheat
• Wheat grass
• Gluten (a strange bread-type food that has a very high protein content)
• Tortillas

Just Add: Powdered Milk, Powdered Eggs, Honey or Sugar, Flour And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Wheat pudding
• German pancakes
• Crepes
• Pasta

Just Add: Yeast, Baking Powder, Baking Soda And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Puddings/custards
• Pancakes
• Some varieties of cookies
• Waffles
• Muffins/English muffins
• Breads
• Biscuits
• Some varieties of crackers

Just Add: Tomatoes, Powdered Butter and Cheese, Unflavored Gelatin, Canned Milk, Canned Fruits And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Meatless dinners
• Meatless casseroles
• Cream sauces
• Jello salads
• Whipped cream desserts
• Baby formula

Just Add: Rice, Legumes, Beef/Chicken Broth, Canned Meats, Dried Potatoes, Dehydrated VegetablesAnd You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• Lots of great chunky soups
• Chili
• Refried beans
• Rice dinners
• Rice puddings
• Sandwiches
• Many different dinners and casseroles

Just Add: Extras such as Oats, Raisins, Nuts, Spices, Juice, Peanut Butter, Cream of Tarter, etc.And You Can Make the Items Above PLUS:

• A wide variety of almost any type of food you would want to cook

As you can see, with a bit of planning (and a fabulous food storage recipe book on hand - Marlene’s Magic with Food Storage), you can be confident that you will be able to create healthy, filling, comforting meals for your family should a true emergency occur. It will also be helpful to start using and rotating through these foods in your every day cooking so that you can find the recipes your family likes, get them used to eating these foods, and ensure that all of your storage retains its maximum freshness.

Wheat Berries Recipe: (as found on SafelyGatheredIn.blogspot.com)
1 cup wheat kernels
4 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

Rinse wheat kernels. Combine ingredients and boil for 1 - 1.5 hours. Be sure to keep checking on them to make sure your water doesn’t boil out. Some people soak them overnight first but that is not necessary.

Things you can do with wheat berries:
* eat them freshly hot and cooked (great breakfast food). Many people add honey to sweeten it up, or you can add a little brown sugar and milk. Be as creative as you want! I know people also like to add dried fruit (like raisins or craisins). I’ve even heard of people adding a little bit of peanut butter for added protein and flavor.
* if you’ve tried wheat berries and you (or your kids) don’t love them, try mixing them in with oatmeal to disguise the flavor. That way, you can still get the nutrition benefits.

* you can add wheat berries to soups and stew for extra nutrition and heartiness

* wheat berries are great in bread! Just add them to your dough for added nutrition

* add them cold to salads

* try using wheat berries in a recipe that calls for rice.

Shelf life of wheat?
30+ years if low-moisture foods are properly packaged and stored at room temperature or cooler (75°F/24°C or lower) remain nutritious and edible.

How can I store Wheat?
Recommended containers for longer-term storage include the following

• # 10 cans (available at Church home storage centers)
• Foil pouches (available through Church Distribution Services)
• PETE bottles (for dry products such as wheat, corn, and beans)

These containers, used with oxygen absorber packets, eliminate food-borne insects and help preserve nutritional quality and taste. Oxygen absorber packets are available at Church home storage centers or through Church Distribution Services.

Under certain conditions, you can also use plastic buckets for longer-term storage of wheat, dry beans, and other dry products.

Types of Wheat Grinders:

Manual Wheat Grinders

Pros

Cons

KitchenAid Attachments

Pros

Cons

Electric Wheat Grinders

Pros

Cons

Prices of Wheat Grinders

Manual Wheat Grinders

KitchenAid Attachments

Wheat Grinder Comparison Charts:
Click the chart below to view a full size chart comparison which we created. Also click here to see sample wheat grinders or here to view a detailed comparison chart.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 19th week of May 10-16th

Week # 19: 50 lbs of Flour
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Flour:

Flour is made up of carbohydrates (or starch) & proteins. Of these two nutrients, protein matters most to the baker. A high percentage of protein means a harder (stronger) flour best suited to chewy, crusty breads and other yeast-risen products. Less protein means a softer flour, best for tender and chemically leavened baked goods, like pie crusts, cakes, cookies, and biscuits. Although there are many types of flour, all-purpose (or occident) flour is used most frequently. The type of flour you choose affects the texture, stability, and overall outcome of your breads, cakes, pies, and cookies. It’s also great for thickening sauces, gravies and puddings or deliciously dredging meats and vegetables prior to frying or sautéing.

What kind of flour is best?
Unless you’re an avid bread or cake baker, an all-purpose flour is probably your best choice. A combination of hard and soft wheat is milled to produce all-purpose flour. The resulting medium protein content (between 9% and 12%) offers just the right balance of strength and tenderness for the everyday baker to make chewy breads, delicate tarts and everything in between. In general, you may find that cakes made with all-purpose flour are a bit tougher and less delicate than those made with a softer pastry or cake flour. Likewise, breads made with all-purpose flour may be a bit softer and flatter than those made with bread flour. But overall, these differences should be slight for the casual baker.

So, we suggest storing all-purpose flour and then buy any other flours you like to use on top of the standard 50lbs of all-purpose flour, to make sure you’ll have plenty for your everyday cooking/baking needs. If you enjoy baking and start making breads or cakes regularly, you might want to use specialty flours. Feel free to adjust the 50 lbs accordingly for the types of flours you will be using. After all we do not want you to waste any food, make sure you’re rotating through all of your food, ingredients and supplies.

Bread Flour vs. All-Purpose Flour
Bread flour is a high-gluten flour that has very small amounts of malted barley flour and vitamin C or potassium bromate added. The barley flour helps the yeast work, and the other additive increases the elasticity of the gluten and its ability to retain gas as the dough rises and bakes. Bread flour is called for in many bread and pizza crust recipes where you want the loftiness or chewiness that the extra gluten provides. It is especially useful as a component in rye, barley and other mixed-grain breads, where the added lift of the bread flour is necessary to boost the other grains.

All-purpose flour is pre-sifted and versatile enough to use in everything from hearty breads to delicate tarts. All-purpose flour is made from a blend of high- and low-gluten wheats, and has a bit less protein than bread flour — 11% or 12% vs. 13% or 14%. You can always substitute all-purpose flour for bread flour, although your results may not be as glorious as you had hoped. There are many recipes, however, where the use of bread flour in place of all-purpose will produce a tough, chewy, disappointing result. Cakes, for instance, are often made with all-purpose flour, but would not be nearly as good made with bread flour.

Do I need Bread Flour?
All purpose flour is fine as long as it is unbleached as bleaching weakens the protein which is needed to give a good texture or crumb to the bread. Bread flour has higher protein and will make a chewier bread.

Buying Flour
To choose the right package size for your needs, keep in mind there are about 3½ cups of flour per pound, so a five-pound bag contains approximately 17½ cups.

Storing Flour Warning
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to a year. White flour never really spoils, but the longer it sits, the more susceptible it is to kitchen pests. Try putting a few bay leaves in the container to keep them away.

According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some dry products may not be suitable for longer-term storage because it may go rancid, including: Flour. View this PDF document for the full details.

Refrigerator or Freezer: Can be stored indefinitely packed in airtight containers or freezer bags. The flour will not freeze solid, but plan to take it out a few hours before using to bring it down to room temperature.

Smell
It should smell and taste “wheaty,” not musty or stale.

Measuring

In the picture - from top to bottom: whole wheat pastry flour, unbleached all purpose flour, whole wheat flour and chapati flour.

Unless your recipe calls for it, no sifting is required. Just fluff the flour in the container with a metal spoon and lightly sprinkle into a dry-ingredient measuring cup. Without tapping or shaking the cup, scrape off the excess with a straight-edge spatula or knife. Measuring this way should yield a cup of flour that weighs about four ounces.

Substitution Ideas
If a recipe calls for a certain type of flour and you only have all-purpose on hand:
• Use one tablespoon more per cup when making breads.
• Use one tablespoon less per cup when making cookies and biscuits.
• Recipes calling for self-rising flour: add 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt to each cup of all-purpose.

Recipes

2 in 1 Breadsticks or Pizza Recipe in 30 min.

Homemade Greek Pita

Classic Crumb Cake

Fastest Cinnamon Buns

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Frank’s Famous Sausage Gravy

Chewy Oatmeal-raisin Cookies

Hummingbird Cake

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.